Job Discussion Forums

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

If one wanted to live in Hong Kong long term what is the best bet? Would teaching as a PNET for 10-20 years be possible. I would like to find a job where the pay increases just like back home. I don't want to work somewhere where the pay will stay the same for the next five years.

Smoog · Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 137 Location: Hong Kong

under the PNET (and SNET) you go up a step in the pay scale each year.
In both you start on step 12 of the Master Pay Scale (the scale all HK govt employees are on).
In PNET you can move up to step 29, SNET step 33.
Teaching dip + degree starts you on step 14 (whoooo....2 whole steps for at least 4 years worth of Tertiary and post-tertiary study).
From there, it's one step p/year up to the maximum - which is 15 years teaching experience for PNET.
Basically, 1 step = $1000HK /month at the bottom of the scale and increases up to ~$1500 /month at the top.
I know the American International School annual teachers' salary increase is $1000 /month up to 10 years teaching exp, so the PNET pay increases are prob about average.

As for 20 years teaching in the PNET scheme - there's no way of knowing whether it'll run that long for a start!
Also, they only offer two-year contracts which makes it difficult to make long-term plans.
I'm not sure as to the length of contracts offered by the international schools. If they are longer it might be a better bet to apply to them if you want the security of job permanence. Otherwise you'll be facing the stress every two years of wondering whether the EMB and your school will offer you a new contract.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Thanks for the information. To work in an international school I would have to go back to the US and get certified. I am just wondering how one can be a long termer abroad. It seems the only way to achieve a higher standard of living abroad is to invest your money. Most ESL jobs do not offer long term security.

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 161

Hmm, a PNET for 10 years???! Has anyone here been a NET for that long??

While the idea may sound lucrative, what if you decided to get married and have kids in the next 10 years? A NET salary is great for a single person, but if you had to pay for a family size apartment and international schooling fees, a basic NET salary won't leave you with much in pocket.

Also, can you handle starting work at 7:30am every morning for 10 years?!

For the long term, and career level salaries, you may be better off looking at the Middle East.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

Are you kidding JZer???? a local school might be alright??
It wouldn't matter how long I lived here or who I married, I would NEVER send any child of mine to a local school - even if they could speak fluent Cantonese, Putonghua and English. Ok, the Direct Subsidy schools might be worthy of consideration, but as for the government and aided schools, no way.
Yes I know it's my western 'foreigner' attitude coming through and the kids here are used to it/love it etc. etc. but any system that tolerates (even promotes) a failure rate of up to 80% is in serious trouble.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Horizontal Hero · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject:

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

Living abroad long-term means different things but for the purposes of this discussion, we're talking specifically about lving in Hong Kong - a place where the local education system is cruel ......... to its students, its teachers and even to the parents who are also active participants (how many times have I been told 'we can't allow the kids to miss out pages in their textbooks/give them less homework/give them colouring activities etc. etc. etc. or the parents will complain' (according to teachers and principals I've discussed such things with, it appears that the parents are given too much clout - and this opinion from me who has taught in a country where parent participation is very high, but appropriate)

It's distressing to see little kids lugging heavy bags full of homework to and from school and knowing that there is little time for play after completing 3 hours homework a night.
And to see kids from the mainland with no English or kids with low IQ staying behind for an extra hour and a half for 'remedial' lessons (more of the same drill and rote) And to see teachers teaching English in Cantonese. With microphones so they can turn up the volume to be louder than the kids.

I could go on........ but I won't. I think I've made it clear that the 'education' system here is an ass and we do our bit to try to make changes for the sake of the kids we teach. We know that systemic change will take a l.o.n....g time here, but if we can put some joy into the kids' day then maybe we've made a difference. That's why I'm still here (and no doubt why many other NETs continue as well).

But these are just some of the reasons why I wouldn't entertain the notion of public education for my children. I'd go as far as to say that I'd choose NO schooling rather than subject my kid to the local system.

After international and ESF schools, Direct Subsidy schools and after that......... home schooling.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

anninhk · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 284

While you can't apply for the NET scheme if you are 60+ you can work after 60. I know several people who have. One continues in her school on yearly contracts, another changed to an AT. I was allowed a two-year contract even though I turn 60 in the first year of the contract and my school have made it clear that if I wanted to continue after that they would be agreeable.

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

hkteach · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Hong Kong

Each to their own I guess, but I wonder why anyone over 60 would want to be a NET anyway.
I'm not at that stage yet, but I find it a very demanding job both physically and mentally - whether you're a PNET teaching P1/P2 kids and dancing around theplace or doing the 'crowd control' that is so often required of SNETs in some of the lower-banded secondary schools.

Even before November rolls around, most of us (old and young) are feeling the effects of the long and hot first term (late August till late December - usually around 17 weeks) and we dream of our Christmas break.
Before I came here, I was used to early starts and quite demanding jobs, but I've never felt as chronically tired as I am here.
If you took a survey of NETs, I feel sure that a good percentage would say something along those lines.

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 161

Yeah, JZer, you're in a uni gig now...have you forgotten how tiring it is teaching kids? Wink

I also cannot sustain more than 3 yrs in a row teaching the same kids. It really is draining, despite the increase of experience and confidence I get in my teaching ability as the time goes on. There just comes a point where enough is enough for the sake of sanity. To get a uni gig here requires being at the top end of the qualifications scale.

As the HK dollar is pegged to the currently low US Dollar, a lot of prices in various sectors have gone up to compensate for exchange rates. Many teaching jobs have not changed their salary levels, and the NET salary has been reduced by a couple of thousand dollars per month compared to a few years back.

From my experience, South Korea actually works out at one of the best places for savings in the long term. Also at unis in S Korea, you can often pick up a bit of overtime or editing work, as well as get that nice severance pay and housing etc.

There is very little guaranteed security in any teaching gig anywhere these days.